Chapter 44 This technique can also be taught to the world
But Guanghua Temple was far from peaceful.
The emperor had vaccinated the princes and princesses, which thoroughly declared the effectiveness of vaccination. People from the capital, regardless of their social status, were flocking to the temple, and people from other places, having heard the news, were also rushing over.
They were not like the gentry and commoners from Yangcheng and Runan who had come at the beginning, but officials from feudal authority.
Not to mention that vaccination concerned the livelihood of the people, the emperor himself had been vaccinated, and if these ministers didn't follow suit immediately, it would be too much of a violation of imperial command.
To win both public and sacred favor in one fell swoop and still not rush to do it would mean they might as well stop being officials and go home to grow sweet potatoes.
"We were the first to come; it should start with our area."
"How can we differentiate by distance for such a matter? It should be sorted by urgency. Our Suzhou has the largest population of young children."
Inside Guanghua Temple, the noise was incessant every day, the once quiet monastery was like a bustling market, with officials arguing endlessly over figures, distances, and priorities.
"Miss Jun, not to mention anything else, you should at least go home to take a look."
There were those who shamelessly leveraged their places of origin and personal connections.
Such shameless behavior made the other officials curse inwardly with resentment.
However, the official who had spoken didn't bask in self-satisfaction for long, as a plump official beside him cleared his throat lightly.
"Yes, Miss Jun, the Jun Family ancestral hall has been renovated, and everyone is waiting for you to go back and offer incense," he spoke deliberately, casting a glance at the nearby official.
When it comes to kinship, Miss Jun bears the Jun surname, so those with other surnames must queue a bit later.
An uproar arose in the hall once again.
Miss Jun's hand, which was writing, paused; she lifted her head and pressed her forehead, and Doctor Feng immediately slapped the table.
"Everybody, please stop quarreling," he said. "We will arrange this matter ourselves. The emperor has decreed that the whole nation should be vaccinated, and everyone will have their turn."
These clichéd words were all too familiar to the officials.
Everyone will have their turn? That could mean a month later, even a year later, who would want to wait until the end?
The hubbub in the Buddhist Temple continued unabated.
"We will immediately summon more doctors, enabling more people to learn vaccination. Then we will ensure that a doctor is sent to each place to vaccinate and teach your local doctors," Doctor Feng loudly proclaimed.
This solution didn't seem bad.
But how could they guarantee that these newly recruited doctors were as reliable as Doctor Feng and others?
The Buddhist Temple quieted for a moment only to erupt into noise again.
"Of course they will be reliable," Doctor Feng asserted without hesitation. "As long as Miss Jun says a doctor is capable, then he must be."
The temple fell silent, and all eyes turned to Miss Jun.
Miss Jun had remained quiet the entire time, almost overlooked.
But of course, no one would overlook her. It was important for the doctors to know how to vaccinate, but the smallpox vaccine was even more crucial.
She was the one who had developed the vaccine.
The doctors might know the technique of vaccination, but not everyone knew how to produce the vaccine.
That a doctor is capable if she says so, they found no issue with that statement.
Now, everyone was clear about the affairs of Jiuling Hall.
Miss Jun had a clear set of standards, which applied the same to other doctors as to the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital, and she acted on her words.
The rule was, if I say you can, then you can. If you can't, I can.
News that Guanghua Temple was recruiting doctors to learn the vaccination technique once again stirred up the capital.
The vastness of the world, the innumerable children within it, and now only a few doctors know how to inoculate—so one can imagine just how scarce this skill is. Although a single inoculation costs only a few hundred copper coins, the doctors receive much more than that.
Respect, admiration, adulation; families of the inoculated children are instruct to engrave the doctor's name in their memory—this is how ordinary people express their gratitude. Wealthier families show their appreciation in richer ways; the emperor, Empress Dowager, empress, and concubines have bestowed Doctor Feng with money and honors, and the nobles have given gifts of thanks far exceeding a few hundred copper coins to the inoculation doctors.
Despite being so busy that they never returned home, their houses were already piled high with all sorts of gifts.
Of course, the significance of this deed cannot be measured merely by money.
"Is Miss Jun really going to teach more doctors this skill?"
"It's quite normal to teach Doctor Feng and the others, after all, they followed Miss Jun risking dangers to treat smallpox."
As the public speculated with curiosity, the doctors throughout the city hastened to Guanghua Temple without hesitation.
A skill? Was it strange for Miss Jun to teach others a skill? Hadn't Miss Jun always been doing so? It was quite normal, even for the skill of inoculation.
Miss Jun had long stated, "One doctor heals one person, a hundred doctors save tens of thousands."
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"This task should be undertaken by our Imperial Hospital."
"The matter of inoculation is of great importance, and with various feudal authorities involved, it naturally falls upon us to take charge to ensure greater safety."
Watching the indignant imperial physicians before him, the official from the Hanlin Academy in the duty room remained calm.
The Imperial Hospital was under the jurisdiction of the Hanlin Academy, and this was their third time here.
"But the people only recognize Jiuling Hall," he said, pointing to a few red strings on the table.
These were not ordinary red strings. Such a red string was split into two, with one half given to the inoculated child, bearing the seal of Jiuling Hall and that of the responsible doctor, while the other half was kept by Jiuling Hall, marking the child's place of origin and name.
Such detail was due to the utmost importance and carefulness of inoculation procedures.
Even without this red string identification, aside from Jiuling Hall, apart from those few doctors known by name and face at Guanghua Temple, no one else would dare to perform inoculations.
Of course, more doctors would emerge in the future, and for these doctors to gain public acceptance, they would surely need proof from Jiuling Hall.
The official looked at the imperial physicians.
The imperial physicians were well aware of this; originally, they had hoped the Imperial Hospital could move into Guanghua Temple before the public had accepted the practice of inoculation, but they were a step behind.
Just one step too late.
Since they couldn't take it by force, they could still follow the rules.
As long as the dynasty made a decree, would there still be no way?
"Naturally, there are ways," the official said calmly, looking at them. "Win the trust of the people for the Imperial Hospital."
The doctors present had a glint in their eyes.
"That would be to invite Miss Jun to be the head of the Imperial Hospital," the official continued.
What the hell!
The complexions of the imperial physicians instantly turned ashen.
By appointing Miss Jun as the head, who would be overpowering whom—would the Imperial Hospital be seizing Jiuling Hall, or would Jiuling Hall be dominating the Imperial Hospital?
"I think with Miss Jun's current reputation, although her being a woman is somewhat preposterous, His Majesty the Emperor might grant her special permission," the official added.
It was indeed unprecedented for a woman to become an imperial physician, but inoculation also unprecedentedly prevented smallpox. Thus, many absurd things in this world could indeed happen.
The imperial physicians left with faces of iron and a hint of chagrin.
Watching them leave, the official from the Hanlin Academy, who had always maintained a calm expression, twisted his mouth into a smile, seeing the red string marked with Jiuling Hall. He carefully stowed the string away with a mix of caution and glee.
What a joke—his three sons, one grandson, and two grandsons-in-law had all just been lined up for inoculation. Miss Jun had specially arranged for Doctor Feng to inoculate them personally.
To let these Imperial Hospital fools, who had only visited Guanghua Temple once and never treated a case of smallpox, be in charge of directing the inoculation process?
Sure, when at least three generations of his descendants were out of harm's way, then they could talk.